A New Chapter

Seventeen years ago, I witnessed a shift in the industry and saw a need for a resource that didn't exist. A place that would help ad agencies navigate the world of digital production. Conversely, I found that digital studios needed someone with business development acumen to represent their phenomenal work. I had the idea to apply the traditional representation model to digital and creative technology companies. This idea became Aarra.

For the past seventeen years, under the Aarra umbrella, I’ve had the privilege and honor of working with all of you, the best people in this industry - agency and brand clients who have become great friends, the teams who have been part of Aarra, who have become like family and, of course, the best roster companies in the world. Together we produced some of the most unforgettable campaigns, were imitated by many, and revolutionized the industry.

Simultaneously, I remained close to my real passion as an entrepreneur and assisted in the co-founding of several digital agencies. Welikesmall (WLS) is one such company.

Founded in 2008 by Michael Kern, Paul Solomon, and myself, WLS set out to build a different type of creative studio. Purpose-driven to deliver high craft, while maintaining a small yet senior team, allowed the focus to be on the quality of the work. Over the years, Welikesmall's name became synonymous with excellence and integrity. The company has grown into something all of us are genuinely proud of and I feel lucky to have been part of this journey as well.

Today, however, our industry is undoubtedly at a crossroads. The demands and challenges we face are different from the ones twenty, ten, or even five years ago. But we are fortunate to work in an industry that has always been dynamic in the face of change. We have to keep moving and evolving.

Looking through the lens of both agency owner and sales management, I see these new challenges as an opportunity. An opportunity to create and build something new once again, something specifically designed to offer the services our clients need yet a construct built for today's market.

So, together with my partners at WLS, we have decided to join forces with Thinkingbox. Our shared vision to handle the world's premiere creative and a desire to build a company specializing in content, digital, and experiential. As of the completion of our acquisition last December, Welikesmall and Aarra are now Thinkingbox.

So while I look back on everything we accomplished in almost two decades and say a heartfelt bittersweet goodbye to Aarra, I'm looking forward to building something new.

I thank all of you for your friendship and unwavering support over these many years. And I look forward to working with you and sharing ideas in my new capacity as a partner and Chief Marketing Officer of Thinkingbox.

Thank you,

James O'Brien

James O'Brien

Posts Categorized

Welikesmall

As the Welikesmall team’s capabilities and portfolio continues to grow, they were proud to launch a new agency site highlighting all their fantastic work and skills. All of Welikesmall’s digital design, development and content creation is on full display, as well…
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Venables Bell & Partners chose Welikesmall to help them digitally introduce Reebok’s brand new “Be More Human” campaign to the world. And the world noticed. The lead video from the campaign garnered about 20 million views across all platforms in…
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An amazing idea, a perfect execution and inspiring results. Congratulations to Welikesmall and GSD&M on the Cyber Gold Lion and (2) Cyber Silver Lion wins at Cannes this year for the USAF Collaboratory project!

Welikesmall extends their collaboration with the Coca-Cola team at W+K on another responsive “Ahh” minisite, called Smile City. Tapping into your webcam for detection, the more you smile, the more the tiny city grows and becomes completely absurd. Give it…
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Purity Vodka deserved a site as tasty as its product, so WLS and Catalyst delivered. The responsive, clean execution helped bring their web presence in-line with their branding and content standards. Roster company: Welikesmall Agency client: Catalyst View site.

Evolution Fresh needed a digital presence as inspiring, clean and vibrant as the brand itself. They turned to Welikesmall to completely design and develop their home on the web from the ground up. The crew at WLS also shot all…
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The team at Welikesmall collaborated with GSD&M to create the first-ever site destination for Pacifico Beer. This beautiful, responsive site is integrated with the packaging release of bottles sporting the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates under their caps to spark consumer…
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A New Chapter

Posts Categorized

Welikesmall : New agency site

Welikesmall : Reebok

Welikesmall Brings Home Cyber Gold & 2 Cyber Silver Lions

Welikesmall : Coca-Cola

Welikesmall : Purity Vodka

Welikesmall : Evolution Fresh

Welikesmall : Pacifico

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